6 Men Hurt In Birdshot Firing

April 29, 2005|By Shahien Nasiripour Staff Writer

Six people were hospitalized Thursday after a man fired birdshot at them in a neighborhood west of Boynton Beach, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

The victims, all men in their 20s, were sitting on the back porch of a house in the 7400 block of Palmdale Drive. The shooter, who investigators said may have been accompanied by another man, fired two rounds from a shotgun at them from a park behind the porch shortly before 8 p.m., Sheriff's Office spokesman Paul Miller said.

The small birdshot rounds, which spread quickly after being fired, were fired from some distance, Miller said, so the pellets sprayed the area, hitting six people. None of the injuries was life-threatening, he said.

One victim was struck near the eye and was taken to Delray Medical Center in serious condition. Another was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, also in serious condition. Four others were taken to area hospitals, but they did not have serious injuries, Miller said.

Investigators think the shooting may have been the result of a dispute about a girl, Miller said. No arrests had been made as of late Thursday.

Shahien Nasiripour can be reached at snasiripour@ sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6531.